Jenna Clarke: ‘Princess Diana will shape Prince Harry as a dad’

Royal baby boy arrives

There is something special about the bond between a mother and their youngest child.

Never has this been more publicly acknowledged than by Princess Diana and her cheeky and spirited baby, Prince Harry of Wales.

While William — as heir — was always fiercely protected by Diana, Harry brought out her fun-loving side.

Photos of the two show a close bond built on a similar interest in tomfoolery and true connections with people from all walks of life.

Nearly every shot of them during Harry’s early years show both of their faces beaming with joy.

Diana appeared to always be buoyed on when Harry would play up for the cameras while they were on duty together.

Remember his refusal to get out of his Army fatigues as a youngster?

The phase when he would stick his tongue out at the media and on the balcony of Buckingham Palace?

The screaming laughter as they rode Splash Mountain at Disney World?

Diana — whether she was holding him or simply nearby — would giggle uncontrollably and the little prince would grin at his mother’s approval. Those types of optics where unusual for The Firm, a family that preferred to outsource child rearing even as recently as the 1980s.

Diana broke the mould. She was hands-on and led from her heart.

It was something she confirmed in interviews, saying: “I don’t go by the rule book. I lead from the heart, not the head.”

From all accounts she was a soft touch with Harry, even letting him eat treacle tart before breakfast.

The little prince requested it so often that chefs at Kensington Palace had to start asking for Diana’s approval, which he got via a handwritten note that read “Mummy says it’s OK”.

Harry, now 34, has spoken about his struggles when his mother died suddenly when he was aged 12.

The gaping Diana-sized hole in his life plunged him into a cycle of gloom, depression and experimentation.

Camera IconPrince Harry holds a young child during a visit to Thuso Centre for children living with multiple disabilities in Lesotho in 2014. Credit: Getty Images

Following life in the army he threw himself into his official duties but carved out a role as humanitarian-in-chief of the House of Windsor.

He adds a common touch to the royal family.

He was the one who encouraged the Queen to star alongside him for her first tweet. There was the little video production for the Invictus Games that trash talked Barack Obama and Team USA as a promo for his inspiring Olympic-style event for wounded soldiers.

He has since become an advocate for youth mental health and a passionate campaigner for future generations — a generation which now includes his son.

“Losing your mother at such a young age does end up shaping your life massively — of course it does,” he said.

“And now I find myself trying to be there and give advice to other people who are in similar positions.”

Meeting and marrying actress and activist Meghan Markle appears to have played a big part in his rehabilitation from being known as “the Party Prince” to “the People’s Prince”.

Their love story now appears complete with the safe arrival of their first born.

Harry regularly admits Diana is never far from his thoughts, something that was evident when the couple paid tribute to his late mother after the birth on Monday.

Camera IconMeghan Markle and Prince Harry. Credit: AP

The official statement from the Palace revealed Diana’s three siblings — Lady Jane Fellowes, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Earl Spencer — were among the first to be told the good news from Windsor.

The Queen was also among the first to be informed of Baby Sussex’s arrival.

Other royals like Prince Charles, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge got the call and were “delighted with the news”. No one is happier than Harry though. He has finally fulfilled a desire to be a dad, a longing he has had since he was “very young”.

Harry’s soft spot for children has been noticed by his adorning fans and the press for some time.

But it was the newly married, and newly pregnant, couple’s first royal tour in Australia last year that we gained an insight into the type of parents they would be.

The Duke made a lifelong friend in five-year-old Luke Vincent while visiting Dubbo.

Luke was the little boy who broke protocol and hugged Harry in front of the media and his classmates.

While his security were on edge, Harry invoked Diana’s trademark of bending down to get on the same level as small children and embraced Luke.

Much like his mother did to children she visited all around the world and at home.

“Hugs can do great amounts of good, especially for children,” she often said.

Little Luke couldn’t get enough of the Royal’s ginger beard and continued to stroke Harry’s whiskers, much to the prince’s delight, while Meghan was invited in for a cuddle.

The vision of the trio went viral but didn’t surprise those close to Harry.

One priest close to the Royal Family for three generations, who has watched over Harry since he was a child, said: “One thing Harry will never be is an absentee father.

“He will want to be involved with everything — even changing the little one’s nappies.”

Princess Diana once said: “I live for my sons, I would be lost without them,” and no one will be surprised if Harry doesn’t offer a similar sentiment when he introduces us to his baby boy later tonight.